WHAT IS BOTOX?

Botox applications have become today's trend and are applied both for treatment purposes and aesthetically. Botox application is generally used in the removal of fine wrinkles and deep lines on the face, as well as in the treatment of diseases such as migraine, armpit sweating, tooth clenching.

Botulinum toxin is a drug derived from the microorganism colistridium botulinum that blocks the activation of muscles. It temporarily blocks the muscles by blocking acetylcholine receptors at the nerve-muscle junction.

The trademarks Botox, Dysport are the most commonly used products sold on the market.

IN WHICH AREAS IS BOTOX USED?

It is possible to use Botox for aesthetic and medical purposes in many areas.

Botox applications for aesthetic purposes on the face;

- Wrinkle Treatment

Although the application areas of Botox are quite many, the most preferred area of application is the face. The effectiveness of Botox is very high in the upper 1/3 area of the face, that is, in the elimination of mild to moderate wrinkles between the eyebrows, forehead and around the eyes. Applications in wrinkle treatment.

• Forehead botox application
• Botox application between eyebrows
• Crow's feet botox application
• Botox application on the upper lip (cigarette lines)
• Botox treatment of nasal rabbit lines
• Botox application on the lip margin
• Neck and décolleté botox

- Brow Lift Botox

With Botox injection, the eyebrows can be lifted from the tail part and the height in the middle part of the eyebrows, which leads to a puzzled face appearance, can be reduced.

• Gummy Smile Botox
  The appearance of the upper gums while smiling or talking (Gummy Smile) causes an unaesthetic appearance. This can be corrected with Botox injection.

Botox applications for therapeutic purposes;

- Botox in Tooth Tightening Treatment (Masseter Botox)

Botox is also very effective in the treatment of jaw and headaches caused by excessive teeth clenching. In this application, known as masseter botox, botox is applied to the masseter muscle in the corner of the jaw to prevent muscle relaxation and damage to the teeth.

- Migraine Botox

Botox is a very effective method in reducing the number and severity of migraine attacks. Cosmetic Botox application may be sufficient, and the effectiveness of the treatment can be increased with additional doses to the scalp and nape root. Treatment is applied to 7 areas on the head and neck. While some patients need to repeat the injection 4-6 times for treatment efficacy, in some patients, the efficacy can continue for several years.

- Botox Treatment for Excessive Sweating

The number of people suffering from excessive sweating is quite high. Instead of surgical interventions, people now prefer botox treatment. Botox prevents sweating by temporarily stopping the activity of cholinergic cells that provide excessive sweating in the sweating area.

- Botox Treatment in Muscle Diseases

Botox can also be used in the treatment of many muscle diseases. These are Cervical Dystonia, Lazy Eye, Muscle Contracture, Bladder Disorders, Blephospasm, Spasmodic Dysphonia.

HOW IS BOTOX APPLIED?

Botox application is not a painful and long procedure as it is thought. The application and the process is quite short and comfortable. A small local anesthetic cream is applied to the area where botox will be applied and then the botox is injected into the area to be applied with a small needle. A short-term cold compress is applied to prevent swelling and bruising.

The application takes approximately 10 minutes. The effect of the drug is limited only to the applied muscle area and other areas are not affected. The result depends on the injection site and dose. The effect occurs gradually in 72 hours and is fully established in about 15 days. Additional injections can be made in the needed areas after 15 days.

WHAT ARE THE THINGS TO CONSIDER AFTER BOTOX?

. What should not be done after the application are summarized as follows:

• Scratching or massaging the injection site after the procedure
• Doing physical activities that may cause excessive sweating
• Bathing or contact with water in the first 3-4 hours after Botox
• Consuming foods that increase blood circulation, such as alcohol intake, use of Aspirin-derived drugs
• Excessive movement of facial muscles after botox applied to the face
• Excessive exposure to sunlight in summer or hot weather
• No makeup for 24 hours.
• Sports and intense physical activity should be suspended for at least 24 hours.
• Skin care and facial massage should not be done for a week.
• Chemical peeling, microdermabrasion and other skin peeling procedures should not be applied.
• No pressure should be applied to the procedure area.
• Avoid high temperature environments such as saunas and baths. Do not enter the pool for one day.
• Do not lie on your face for at least 5 hours after application.

After paying attention to all these, a smooth botox process is passed.

HOW LONG DOES BOTOX LAST?

The muscle activities blocked by the toxin start to return in 3 months and are completed in 4-5 months on average. The duration of effect of Botox depends on many factors. This duration is

• Your personal characteristics, your genetic makeup
• Your muscle strength
• Your metabolic rate
• Seasonal variations
• Your sunbathing status
• Whether you exercise excessively
• It will vary depending on many factors such as your heat exposure.

WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS OF BOTOX?

Botox has been used for aesthetic purposes for many years and has no proven permanent side effects. All effects of Botox are temporary. Therefore, it is one of the reliable cosmetic and medical applications.

Side effects of Botox vary according to the application area and application dose. Due to the application by injection, mild, dot-shaped redness is seen on the skin, which disappears in about 1-2 hours. Possible botox side effects that can be seen temporarily are as follows:

• Mild stinging, burning, pain and edema at the injection site
• Mild headache, especially in the first 24 hours
• Subcutaneous bleeding
• Itching or blistering of the skin
• Eyebrow twitching
• Eyebrow and eyelid drooping (ptosis)
• Difficulty closing the eyelid
• Double or blurred vision
• Tear reduction
• Asymmetry around the mouth (Masseter botox and around the mouth applications)
• Asymmetric smile (Masseter botox and applications around the mouth)
• Weakening of the neck muscles (in applications around the neck)

All these are not common effects. Rarely, the eyelid may droop after applications in the upper part of the face. This side effect will return to normal within 2 weeks-6 weeks after the procedure.  The reason is that the toxin acts on the muscle that opens the upper eyelid. To prevent this, the toxin should not be applied 1 cm below the eyebrow and outside the midpupillary line. This side effect of Botox application can be controlled with various eye drops and cold applications.

There is no direct drug application that will immediately correct the side effects by eliminating the effect of Botox. When such a situation is encountered, it is the best method to wait for the effect to decrease by leaving it to time. Over time, all the unwanted side effects of botox will go away. If you want to speed up this process a little more, hot applications such as hot baths, saunas, hammams, and taking vitamin supplements containing magnesium can be beneficial.

WHAT IS THERE TO KNOW ABOUT BOTOX?

In order to handle botox processes performed for aesthetic reasons without any problems, the things to be known about botox are as follows:

• Botox application should definitely be done in consultation with a doctor, by getting information about its suitability for you, its benefits and possible harms.
• As long as it is applied by experienced and specialized people, the possibility of negative situations is eliminated.
• The quality of the product to be used must be investigated.
• It would be much better to make a decision by consulting a reliable doctor and learning the benefits and harms that may occur in you after the procedure.

WHO IS BOTOX NOT SUITABLE FOR?

Botox applications are not suitable for everyone. People who are inconvenient to have Botox are as follows:

• People with an infection
• People with muscular and nervous system disorders
• Pregnant women and nursing mothers
• People for whom Botox cannot give sufficient results for the level of wrinkles and sagging
• People who have developed resistance to the toxin after repeated botox application

HOW LONG CAN BOTOX BE REPEATED?

Since Botox has no permanent effect, it needs to be repeated at regular intervals.  When people who have botox applied 5-6 times regularly continue the application in the same order, the duration of the effect is prolonged over time and it is started to be applied at longer intervals.

WHAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BEFORE BOTOX?

After doing the necessary research and finding a safe doctor, the points to be considered before botox are as follows:

• Before Botox application, the doctor must be informed about the medications used. Aspirin and blood thinners should be discontinued 2 weeks before botox application.
• Alcohol intake should be stopped 2-3 days before Botox application.
• If there is an active skin infection in the area where Botox applications will be performed, the application should be postponed.

Since the needles used in Botox applications are small and thin, they do not cause much pain sensation. The patient can continue his/her daily life without any problems after Botox application.

WHAT ARE THE BRANDS USING BOTOX?

Our clinic uses 2 types of products approved by the Ministry of Health.

• Botox: Botox is the brand known by its name. Botox is produced by Allergan company. We prefer it in our applications such as baby botox.
• Dysport: It is another botox brand produced by Galderma. It is a preferred product with good efficacy.

OLD CITY BOTOX PRICES?

Botox pricing may vary according to the application area.  Male patients with high muscle activity may need to use more medication. As with all medications, there are periodic updates in Botox prices. It would be best to learn the most up-to-date price from the clinics by telling the treatment areas you want to have.